Strep throat how can you tell

The doctor rubs a cotton swab over the back of your throat. Then, the doctor can find out in a few minutes if you have strep throat.

If the first test doesn't prove anything, your doctor might do a longer test called a throat culture. Again, the doctor will use a cotton swab. This time, the sample goes on a special dish and is left to sit for 2 nights.

If you have strep throat, the bacteria will usually grow in the dish within 1—2 days. If you have strep throat, your doctor will give you an antibiotic , a medicine that kills bacteria.

To make sure the bacteria go away completely and don't spread to other parts of your body, you must finish all of the medicine. Your doctor will have you take the pills or liquid for 10 days.

It's really important to take all 10 days of the medicine to make sure all the bad bacteria are gone. If you don't, you could get sick all over again. Your mom or dad may give you acetaminophen say: uh-see-tuh-MIN-uh-fin to get rid of aches, pains, and fever. You'll want to have soothing drinks, like tea and warm chicken soup. Frozen foods like ice cream or popsicles also can help to ease throat pain. Avoid spicy and acidic foods, such as orange juice, because they could hurt your tender throat.

This is why obtaining a confirming test is so important. Not all sore throats are equal. Learn more about vaccine availability. Advertising Policy. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. Related Articles. Allergies Got You Fuzzy-Headed? Trending Topics. What Parents Need to Know. Strep Throat or Sore Throat? Share this article via email with one or more people using the form below. Send me expert insights each week in Health Essentials News.

Strep throat usually requires a trip to the doctor and treatment with antibiotics. With the proper medical care — along with plenty of rest and fluids — you should be back on your feet in no time.

Most sore throats are caused by viruses. If you have a runny nose, cough, hoarseness, and red or runny eyes, it's probably a virus and will clear up on its own. Strep throat is very contagious. Anybody can get it, but most cases are in school-age kids and teens. Students tend to get strep throat most often during the school year when big groups of people are close together.

The bacteria that cause strep throat tend to hang out in the nose and throat, so sneezing, coughing, or shaking hands can easily spread the strep infection from one person to another. That's why it's so important to wash your hands as often as possible.

A doctor often can do a rapid strep test right in the office. He or she will use a swab to take a sample of the fluids at the back of your throat. It usually only takes a few minutes to find out if you've got strep throat. If the first test doesn't prove anything, then your doctor might do a longer test called a throat culture.

The doctor will rub a swab of fluid from your throat on a special dish and the dish will be left to sit for 2 nights.